It affords me pleasure in being able to state that the promptness and energetic manner in which Lieut. J. N. Lane, of General McNair's ordnance; Lieut. H. C. Leigh, ordnance officer to General Ector; Sergt. C. F. Maxey, in charge of General Rains' ordnance, and Sergt. G. W. Morrie, of the division ordnance, moved in execution of orders, did much to assist me in supplying troops and disposing of my train.

I beg the honor, major, to be, very respectfully, your very obedient servant,

J. D. ALLISON,

Captain and Chief of Ordnance to Major-General McCown.

MajorH.[S.] BRADFORD,

Chief of Staff and Assistant Adjutant-General.

No. 282. Report of MajorGeorge M. Mathes, ----, Chief of Artillery.

HEADQUARTERS McCOWN'S DIVISION, SMITH'S CORPS, Shelbyville, Tenn., January 11, 1863.

MAJOR: I have the honor of submitting the following report of the part the batteries of this division took in the engagements of December 30 and 31, [1862], before Murfreesborough:

On the 29th, when the division was in position in reserve, in rear of Stone's River, near to Nashville pike, I received an order from the major-general commanding to detach one section of rifled pieces from one of the batteries, with orders to report to

Brigadier-General [A.] Buford, on the Salem pike, which was done from the Eufaula Light Artillery, General Rain's brigade (Lieutenant [W. A.] McDuffie commanding), under charge of Lieutenant [W. J.] McKenzie.

When the division was ordered from its reserve position to the left, on the Triune road, the batteries were moved in mass in rear of the division to its new position. The batteries of Captains Douglas and Humphreys were placed in reserve, and Lieutenant McDuffie, commanding Eufaula Battery, was ordered to take position in line to support his brigade (Rains') during the day of the 30th, when the firing became very heavy on Robertson's battery. Lieutenant McDuffie was ordered to take position to support and relieve Captain Robertson, which he did, doing great damage to one of the enemy' batteries, forcing it to change position, and, prisoners state, dismounting one gun and killing several cannoneers. Lieutenant McDuffie kept his battery at 500 yards range until his ammunition was exhausted, when he was ordered to draw off his battery and fill his ammunition chests.

The lieutenant commanding and the men of the battery deserve great credit for the cool and skillful manner in which the battery was handled under the severe fire of two or more batteries. The loss of the battery was 1 man wounded and 1 horse killed.

At daylight on the morning of December 31, all of the batteries of the division were ordered forward. Captain Douglas, of General Ector's brigade, was ordered to take position and go into action on the left of the house on the left of the Lieutenant-General Polk's line, which he did, engaging the enemy at short range, throwing the enemy into confusion and greatly facilitating the rout of the enemy on the left. On account of damages received by his battery, Captain Douglas was delayed in following